Politicians hold first face to face

Winston Peters says there is no guarantee the result of the special votes will even be known on Saturday, which could further delay negotiations.

The NZ First leader spoke to media on his way out to lunch ahead of his 2pm meeting with Labour leader Jacinda Ardern, deputy Kelvin Davis and Labour’s negotiating team.

The first sighting of Labour’s negotiating team was as they entered the meeting room. Heading in with the two leaders was former Labour deputy prime minister Sir Michael Cullen, finance spokesman Grant Robertson, key adviser Mike Munro and chief of staff Neale Jones.

Peters said no policy had been discussed in the meeting with National on Thursday morning, it was strictly about protocol and Labour’s meeting was expected to be largely the same.

‘‘We need to have protocols in which we’ll conduct these talks with both parties so they’re fair, confidential and above board.’’

Those protocols included agreeing to meet in a certain place, to change negotiating teams depending on subject matter, keeping information confidential and respecting that confidentiality, which also extended to media.

‘‘Otherwise we might as well hire Westpac Stadium and turn on the lights and loud speaker and just go for it. We’re not going to have that circus,’’ Peters said.

The negotiations would continue to be held in the level two function room near the Beehive, which is neutral territory.

Peters said he did not know when the next meeting would be held with National and Labour because there was no guarantee the result of the special votes would even be known by Saturday.

‘‘It’s quite possible that because so many checks are required, the logistics of getting all those numbers may not happen ... I don’t know if they’ll be able to complete that task.’’

A spokeswoman for the Electoral Commission said they were well on track to meet the Saturday deadline. Peters maintained he would be able to meet his selfimposed deadline of October 12, even if special votes were held up.

Short and sweet

It was a 30-minute short and sweet meeting between Peters, Bill English and their negotiating teams on Thursday morning.

Afterwards Peters had little to say, other than he was expecting the same sort of talks with Ardern in the afternoon.

Heading into the meeting with Peters on Thursday morning was deputy NZ First leader Ron Mark, MP Tracey Martin, Peters’ aide and confidante Paul Carrad, as well as chief of staff David Broome and staffer Kirsty Christison.

English’s team included senior MPs Todd McClay, Gerry Brownlee and Steven Joyce, along with outgoing chief of staff Wayne Eagleson. One of English’s key advisers, Cameron Burrows, was also seen walking into the meeting room.

Following the meeting Peters told media the talks had gone ‘‘very well’’ and that the meeting wasn’t unusually brief, ‘‘it went as expected’’.

The meetings are part of preliminary discussions, ahead of official coalition negotiations that will start after the special votes are returned on Saturday.

More than 380,000 special votes were cast, accounting for 15 per cent of the vote. The Left is expecting to pick up a couple more seats in the specials, as they have done in the past.

On Thursday morning Peters said ‘‘luck won’t come into it’’, referring to the coalition discussions - but the personalities involved in the coalition teams were important.

‘‘Don’t send along the wrong people,’’ he said.

‘‘If you were in a commercial setting, you’d be very careful as to who you sent. You wouldn’t want somebody’s past behaviour and obnoxiousness to be part of the problem.’’

Peters said Thursday’s meetings were only preliminary and ‘‘setting out the protocols and arrangements going forward’’.

‘‘It would be wise to find out what the public said, and that 15 per cent in particular because they’re not counted yet.’’

Peters said his team would have policy comparison work done within a day and was continuing to consult with the wider party membership.